Electrically conductive materials deposited on dielectric substrates have been used to manufacture a variety of articles requiring the flow of electrical current.
As one example, a dielectric substrate can be coated with an electrically conductive, heat-producing, thin-film to provide a heated substrate panel assembly. Electrical power is supplied to the film through the use of electrical conductors deposited onto the dielectric substrate and in electrical contact with the film. The substrate panels are heated when electrical current flows through the electrically conductive thin-film coating. The conductors can be electrically joined with the thin-film coating by several methods, including for example adhesion of conductive metal ribbons, deposition of metal-based paste, screen printing over the thin-film coating and deposition of metallic, electrically-conductive powders or materials directly over the thin-film coating.
Deposition of electrically conductive materials on dielectric substrates typically involves thermal spray processes such as flame spray or electrical wire arc. These methods involve injection of molten particles of metals and mixtures of metals with other materials into a high velocity gas stream so as to produce an electrically conductive deposit. The high velocity gas stream is typically directed through a mask mechanism to form a uniformly shaped electrical conductor. It would be advantageous to improve the process of forming electrical conductors onto dielectric substrates.